Improvement in apparatus for measuring heights



. YAGN. Apparatus for Measuring H-eight. No. 197,444;

Patented Nov. 20,1877.

Mbiessm N. P-ETERS. momu'ruusmmen, wAs'mNsTon, n cy UNITED STATES PATENT FFIcn.

NICOLAS F. YAGN, on Moscow, RUSSIA, ASSIGNOR or ONE-HALF HIS RIGHT TO LEWIS I. SURVILLO, or SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN APPARATUS FOR MEASURING HEIGHTS.-

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 197,444, dated November 20, 1877; application filed June 16, 1877.

To all whom it may concern;

Be it known that I, NICOLAS F. YAGN, of

Moscow, in the Empire of Russia, have invented a new and useful Improvement in the Method of Measuring Heights by means of a new instrument, called "Manometrical Altimeter, of which the following is a specification:

The object of my invention is the application of hydrostatic pressure to leveling, and the construction of an apparatus, called manometrical altimeter, destined for ascertaining the relative height of objects or of certain points in localities in cases where directmeasuring is difficult or even impossible.

Compared with the apparatus already in use for the same purpose, my manometrical altimeter offers, among others, the advantage of considerably simplifying the solution of problems in leveling, and of being adaptable even to such cases where the other apparatus are found of no use.

The construction and actionof the manometrical altimeter are based on the well-known hydrostaticlaw according to which the pressure produced by a column of liquid upon the sides of a vessel depends neither on the form nor the dimensions of the vessel, but merely on the height of the column and the density of the liquid itself. 7

Taking any reservoir A, and connecting the same, by a flexible tube, 0, with any pressuregage, as, for instance, an open mercury manometer, B, and the flexible tube 0 and reservoir A being filled with any liquid whatever water, for in stanccthe indications of the manometer B will, according to the aforementioned law, only show the relative height where the reservoir is placed. The diameter of the flexible tube 0, its length and shape, the nature of its sides,as well as the greater or lesser height of placing the intermediate parts of the tube, will have no influence whatever upon the indications of the manometer.

By this fact-it becomes evident that when the mercury manometer B is in a fixed and stable position, its indications will only change in case of the. reservoir A, with the; liquid, being moved in vertical direction, and the changes will strictly correspond to the vertical motion of the reservoir A. Admitting the reservoir A be placed at a certain height, H, the indication of the manometer B will be =h.

.If we move the reservoir A to H, the indi-' cation of the manometer will change from h to h-i-a, giving the following proportion:

Here E h is a constant quantity, and is fixed,

counting on the scale of the manometer. On

this very combination are based the construction and action of my manometrical altimeter.

The flexible tube 0 and reservoir A may be filled, instead of water, with alcohol or any other convenient liquid.

The manometrical altimeter, the construction whereof is shown in the drawings hereto annexed, consists of three main partsviz., the manometer, the reservoir, and the flexible tube connecting the same. I

Figure 1 represents the front View of an open mercury manometer, B, set into or otherwise fixed to the small wooden board E. Fig. 2 is view of the hind or interior surface of another board, E, destined to be put on the first, and to serve for preserving the manometer from being damaged. Fig.3 is a side view of the boards of the apparatus put together, and containing the manometer-B; Fig. 4, a front view, and Fig. 5 a side view, of a moving comb-like scale for counting the indications of the manometer, as hereinafter particularly described; Fig. 6 and 7, the front and back views of the complete manometrical apparatus, provided with the comb-like scale and other appurtenances; Fig. 8, aside view of the apparatus hanging on the support; Fig. 9, avertical section of the reservoir A, provided with the flexible tube 0; Fig. 10 shows one of the modes proposed for keeping the apparatus in a vertical position; Figs. ll and 12, the front and side views of a micrometrical screw, serveter B itself consists of the bent glass tube,

a a, of which one end, a, is opemand the other,

a, being considerably shorter, is widened out i in the shape of a small cup, b, placed at about .half the height of the knee a.

The diameter of the cup b is made about four times as large as the inside of the tube, andits capacity a little more than that of the whole canal of the tube.

The cup I) may be of iron or of glass, with a metallic rim or lid on top, as shown in Fig. 1. From the lid of the cup 11 passes a crooked pipe, 0, at the upper bent of which is the branch c,provided with the, air-tap d, and to the endjof the pipe 01 is fixed the free end of theflexible tube Q, Fig. 9.

For leveling not requiring particular accuracy, may be employed a mercury manometer without the cup by but in order to diminish the chances for errors, it is required in such case to determine the position of mercury in both knees, while in using the manometer with the cup it is determined only in the knee a. t The boards E E, placed together conveniently, and hired to each other by screws "or some other way, form a case to the manometer, which is placed in the metallic comb-like scale e, Figs. 4 and 5. y y p I The scale 0 can be moved up and down by means "of the micrometrical screw 6 For this purpose, after placing the wooden case with the manometer, there fixed on the top part of the scale 6, by means of the screws e ande the cross-piece e with a nut-screw, Figs. 5, 11, and 12, through which passes the scre '6 turning in a fixed frame, e in'casefd in the corresponding cavity e of the board 1]", Fig. 2. The's'crew e ,wh'en turning, presses against the metallic plate c ,which' is kept in its place by the screws e and e, Figs. 11 and 12. a The .pi'tch of the screw eis equal to one millimeter. The circumference of the head a of the screws is divided into fiftyequal parts, and resting on the fixeddisk'e, provided with a Vernier or nonius.

The motion of the scale 0 is guided by the pegs filwhich are fixed to the board E E andpass trough corresponding spaces of the sea e 0, Figs. 6 and 7. v

I The three guiding pegs f may be reduced to two (upper andjlower) or even one, below, "since the screw 6 itself, passing through the cross-piece 6 may serve asfa guide above. Besides, it is evident that, the fixed disk '6 with the 'vernie'r and the micrometri'cal screw 1, J ly fixed to the moving "scalee, with its frame and constant scale, can be placedon top of theap'paratusb'r in any other convenient place'-as, for instance, near the bottom.

' The moving scale emay also, without departing from my invention, be made in the formof a case surrounding the boards E E on all sides, Fig. 15, the cuttings 1 2 3, 860., being wide enough to coverthe clefts a and a.

By this construction the motion of the comblike scale 6, and consequently the indications of the manometer B, can be exactly noted up to '3 millimeter.

For observing the level of mercury in the knees of the tube a a there are clefts or rifts a w" cut through both wooden boards E E, Figs. 2 and 14, about three millimeters wide, the first of which is about "as long as the whole length of the tube a, and the second equal to the size of the cup I) at the end a It is evident that, when a mercury manome ter without the cup I) is used, the length of the knee a is made equal to the length of the knee a, and the length of the cleft a equal to the length of the cleft a. Y V y These cleft-s are shut outside by the comblikefscale 6, so asto shinethrough the spaces of the comb, as shown in Figs. 6 and 7 is jcvidentthat, looking through these spaces, the light willpa'ssonly through those parts of the 'clefts a a that correspond with the parts "of thetube a and cup b not occupied by mercury.

The comb-like scale 6 is cut out in such manner as to'pla'ce the upper edges 'of the spaces at an exact distance of a certain number of centimeters from each other. Besides,

on one of the longitudinal ribs of the frame '6 Figs. 6 and 12 of the micrometrical screw e divisionsof'one millimeter are marked at a length a little more than the distance between two contiguous spaces of the comb 6. Along these divisions the prominenceh, Figs. 4 and 6, of thescale e, moves in such mannerithat the position of the scale 13 can always be exactly determined by means 'offthe line b marked on this prominence. The spaces of the comb-like scale, for more convenience, are numbered 1 2 3 4. As it is notrequiredfior leveling according to method, to know "the absolute height of the mercurycolumn, and merely wanted to know'the changing thereofi. 'e., the d'ifl'erence between two suc- 'ce'eding indicaiions it needs no particular accuracy in placing the comb. relating to th'e wooden boards of the apparatus, and only requires that the distance between the up er edges of the spaces should 'be strictly invariable. i

The "counting of the manometers' indicatio s, by means of the comb-like scale 6, is performed as follows; Looking toward the light through the teeth of "the comb,we remark at once the light shining through the first space above the mercury in the part a of the tube. Let'us say it be the eleventh "space from below. Raising the scale 6, by means of the micrometrica-l screw c ,fand observing the tenth space, which as yet lets no light pass, we remark the moment when the first ray of light is passing through the same. At this moment the turning of the screw c is "stopped, because the appearance oi light proves that the upper edge of the space 10 is level with the surface of the mercury in the knee a of the manometer B. Observing on the divisions of the frame 6 the number of millimeters the scale 6 was raised, and on the vernier the part of turn given to thehead 6 the height of mercury in the knee to of the tube is exactly ascertained. If, for instance, the distance between the upper edges of the spaces is two centimeters,

and the tenth space had to ,be raised three millimeters, and, besides, the screw-head '6 wanted turning for 25.3 divisions, the height of the mercury is 203%,? millimeters or 203.506

millimeters.

For leveling not wanting minute exactness, the indications of the manometer may be counted by means of an ordinary scale provided with a vernier and other requisites generally used. In this case, however, the manometer B is fastened to the scale immovably.

cause the slightest draft of air or contact will shake the manometer. For removing this inconvenience, I propose the application of the plummet k and the friction-shoes l 1, Figs. 1, 3, and 8. The plummet k is placed in the glass tube m. The metallic bottom a of this tube has in the center a conic point, 0. The line of the plummet 7c is fastened in the center of the metallic lid 10, covering the tube m, of which about one-half is filled with alcohol, transparent oil, or some other convenient liquid. The plummet It, being in the liquid, will settle incomparably sooner than without the same. For observing the position of the plummet k the board E is provided with the cleft a. Sidewise the plummet is perfectly visible. The tube m, with the plummet k, can, of course, be fastened at any place that may be thought convenient outside of the case E E.

The friction-shoes ll are fixed to the ends of the rods r r, and provided with a somewhat convex basis. The rods 1' pass through the guiding-eyes s, and are surrounded by the springs a, pressing the shoes 1 against the platform 1? of the support D, Fig. 8. To preserve the rods 1 from breaking or being damaged when the apparatus is moved, &c., a turning-bar, Figs. 1, 8, and 13, is applied to the lower end of the wooden board E, keeping, if desired, the shoes I 1 inside of the board E, Figs. 3, 6, and 7.

Instead of the shoes I l, afriction-weight', I, may be placed at the hind part of the board E, as shown in Fig. 10. The rod 1" of this weight moves in the same manner as in the foregoing case, viz., in the guiding-eyes s.

The weight Z is also pressed, like the shoes 1,

against the platform t by the spring a.

The application of the shoes and that of the friction-weight comparatively secures a stable vertical position of the manometer apparatus, even when the position of the support D is more or less inclined. Combined with the plummet, these contrivances permit bringing the manometer easily and speedily into a vertical position, or, in case of the axes of the manometer and plummet-tubes not being parallel, into a position of a constant incline.

Fig. 9 represents the liquid-reservoir A, either of metal or glass. In the latter case it must be placed in a metallic case with a ver ticcal aperture, to observe the level of the liqu1 When the reservoir is made of metal, as shown in the drawing, there may be placed in it a float, c, from which, through a hole in the lid of the reservoir, passes the rod w, with a scale-division for ascertaining the level of liquid in the reservoir A, or this .reservoir may be provided with a water-gage. V

'The lower part of the reservoir A is provided with the pipe at and top 00, whereon is fixed one end of the flexible tube 0, and in the lid of the reservoir is an aperture, y, for air.

For ordinary purposes the capacity of the reservoir is about one liter.

The flexible tube 0 may be of common india rubber, with linen lining of about two and a half to three and a half millimeters'in diameter. At a length of one hundred meters such hose weighs about three kilograms.

The manometer B is filled with mercury to about one-half. The remaining part of the cup I), the canals of the tubes 0 and G, and the greater part of the reservoir A, are filled with the acting liquid-e. 9., water.

The filling of the apparatus with the acting liquid is very easily done. For this purpose it is only required to place the filled reservoir A above the manometerB and open the tap d. The water will gradually drive the air out and fill the canals. The tap d must be shut some time after water is seen coming out.

The measuring of height by the manometrical altimeter is done as follows; Let us imagine we Want to ascertain the vertical distance between two points, 0 and 0, in any locality.

whatever, the distance between these points by far exceeding the length of the indiarubber tube; further, let us admit the leveling to be proceeding from 0 toward 0, and let us imagine along the distance between 0 and 0 a certain number of points, 1 2 3 4 5, &c., distributed in such manner that the distanoe between two points following each other be not greater than the length of the indiarubber tube of the apparatus. First of all, the liquid-reservoiris placed at the point 0, and the support with the manometer taken to the point 1. The manometer being brought into avertical position, we note its indication. Let us presume that this indication will be expressed by .a. This done, the support, with the manometer, is left at point 1, the liquidreservoir placed at point 2, and the indication of the manometer noted again-"say, it indicates a then the difference between the indications a,a =d expresses the respective height of the points 0 and 2. Further, leaving the liquid-reservoir at 2, the support, with the manometer, is removed to the point 3, whereby we get, for instance, the indication 0b,. Removing hereafter the liquid-reservoir to 4, and leaving the support, with the manometer, at 3, we obtain the manometer-indication a The difference of these two indications a a,,=d is the expression of the difference of height between the points 2 and 4. A The algebraic sum of the two differences, d+d however, shows the respective height of the points 4 and 0. Proceeding in the same manner, we at last reach the point 0, obtaining a series of diiferences, 61 d (1 d, the algebraic sum whereof determines the relative elevation H of the point 0 above the point 01 e., H .(d+d +d (J va.

The quantity 70 represents the relation of the indications of the manometer to the vertical motion of the liquid-reservoir. This quantity changes when a change of temperature takes place, which, as is well known, actsupon the density of liquids. Therefore it is useful to verify from time to time the coefficient k.

, Forthis purpose the stay 9 of the support D is provided with a second hook, i, Fig. 8, holding the chain 2 of a determined length. Suspendin g the liquid-reservoir A successively, first by the hook i and then by the hook z at the lower end of the chain z, and noting the corresponding changes in the indications of h the manometer, we obtain the ratio F being the expression of the quantity 70.

For suspending the reservoir A by the hooks Instead of the chain 2 two small horizontal platforms may be fixed for the same purpose to one of the boards E E (at the upper and lower ends) at a determined distance from each other, and the reservoir placed alternately on the one and the other of these platforms. vA separate stay, provided with hooks for suspending or platforms for placing the reservoir A, may be used likewise. In the latter case the verification of the manometer-indications may be performed at any distance from thesame within reach of the flexible hose 0. I

, It is easily understood that such verification is only required when a change of conditions is presumed. The verification itself may be made, by the way, while moving the reservoir from place to place and passing by the manometer.

The three legs 0 of the support D may be replaced by one stake, 0 Fig. 10, pointed at the lowerend, by means of which the support is stuck into the ground or, where the soil is rocky, into a cruciform foot specially provided.

Experience has taught that, no matter Whether the manometer'is undergoing a positive or negativepres'sure-i. 0., whether the reservoir with the liquid is placed above or m below the manometer-the sensitivity ofthe scribing witnesses.

described manometrical altimeter is sufficiently strong.

Work with the manometrical altimeter, even with only one man for assistance, who only needsto know how to carry the liquidreseryoir from place to place, and at the same time take up the india-rubber tube, is carried on very speedily, r and with a mercury manometer one meter high one may measure at a time up to thirteen meters elevation, which cannot be attained by employment of the ordinary leveling-instruments. y 1 y In measuring steep decli ties, especially in case no particular accuracy be required, "manometers of other systems may be employed, as aforementioned, affording the possibility of measuring u'pto sixty meters elevation at a time.

It is evident that the manometrical altimeter, by its accuracy, small weight, and si'mplicity of action, can with advantage compensate the optic leveling-instrument generally used, especially in cases where the locality is hilly and covered with wood. In the latter case this apparatus requires neither clearing of wood nor the selection 'of visible points.

In architectural works the manometrical altimeter is useful for ascertaining the regular laying of walls, foundations, floors, ceiling's, for establishing stair-cases, for ascertaining the settling of walls, 850. In all these cases the manometer can remain in one place,

and only the liquid-reservoir wants moving.

No matter whether the india-rubber tube passes over walls, up or down, from one story to another, we will always obtain very exact indications.

The manometrical altimeter may likewise be of great utility for the regulation of water pipes, digging of canals anddrainings, building bridges, erection of machinery, adjusting of shaftsin one word, wherever the determination of height is required.

1 I claim as my invention 1. The combination of the manometer B and casing-boardsE with the adjustable scale 0, provided with slits or cuttings, as set forth.

2. The combination of the support D and its platform with the measuring-gage B and NICOLAS F. YAGN.

Witnesses: j.

NICOLAS KARTSQFF, NIGOLAS PROTOPOPOFF. 

